April, '19] COST OF RAISING BEEF CATTLE. 11 



diminished the profit because it would not have produced the 

 same amount of growth. 



Gains on Pasture. 



Gains on pasture are almost clear profit because practically 

 all of our pastures are on land that cannot be cultivated. Hence 

 if not used for grazing they are idle land which often reverts to 

 useless brush. 



The net profit per head for the grazing period of 5| months 

 was about $27 per head. Tliis net profit was estimated on a 

 margin of one cent over the spring value which is very conserv- 

 ative as they were in a good state of flesh fit for local slaughter. 

 This profit was made on a gain in live weight that, while very 

 satisfactory, was not unusually high. With yearhng steers of a 

 similar type but of a more docile temperament, such as we could 

 breed ourselves, the gains on pasture would probably have been 

 somewhat higher. 



The grazing sections of this country where cattle can be fleshed up 

 well on grass are not very common. Some of the blue-grass areas of 

 Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky are especially noted for this. 

 There are at least parts of New Hampshire where cattle have 

 been brought to a high state of flesh on grass only. Experience 

 in this shows that, while we cannot compete with corn fed stock, 

 we can put beef animals into a very desirable market condition 

 on grass so that the old spectre grain need not prevent us from 

 putting into a salable condition any beef cattle we can grow at a 

 profit. 



Economy of Labor an Essential. 



The steers were kept loose in a barn or stable which had for- 

 merly been used for dairy cows. The stanchions had been removed 

 and as the partitions did not extend back of the manger, the 

 stable arrangement was not unhke that of any shed where beef 

 cattle are generally kept, though perhaps somewhat more enclosed. 

 The animals were kept loose, having access to a yard on the pro- 

 tected side of the barn, the door of which was kept open all day 

 which afforded opportunity for the necessary exercise in the open. 



The general arrangements for feeding and water were such as 

 to reduce chore work to a minimum. The manger, being on the 



